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A bill to extend and expand Colorado’s Conservation Easement Tax Credit was introduced in the State Senate. Senate Bill 126 aims to build upon the immense success of the tax credit program by eliminating the expiration dates of the Conservation Easement Oversight Commission and the Certified Holder program. It also proposes to raise the tax credit cap to $75 million to meet the current demand and expand the state's conservation reach.
Keep It Colorado will award $260,000 in assistance to six nonprofit land trusts across Colorado, which will support landowners who have volunteered to protect their properties through conservation. The projects will permanently protect 2,637 acres of working ranches, wetlands, water rights and wildlife corridors on land that would otherwise be at imminent risk of being subdivided or converted to other uses.
Ducks Unlimited (DU) has pledged to support Keep It Colorado’s grant program, the Transaction Cost Assistance Program (TCAP). TCAP provides financial support to Colorado’s land conservation community to help cover costs associated with conservation easement transactions, which protect land in perpetuity. Keep It Colorado will apply DU’s investment toward conservation projects that involve Colorado wetlands and benefit migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife and natural resources.
A new statewide survey of Colorado voters found broad, bipartisan support for continuing tax incentives for tools that enable landowners to voluntarily conserve land on their properties, and that increase available tax incentives for those willing landowners. The majority of respondents say they would also tell their state legislator to vote in favor of doubling the amount of land that can be conserved through Colorado’s system of existing tax incentives.
Across the state, counties and municipalities have ballot measures in place to support a variety of open space efforts, from trail maintenance, river restoration and wildfire mitigation, to land acquisition, wildlife protection and more. Four measures will be on Fall 2023 ballots - we summarize them, and offer a small glimpse of other initiatives already active within the state. Also available is a complete list of all ballot measures supporting protection of open spaces.
Keep It Colorado has received a grant of $25,000 from the Trinchera Blanca Foundation to help advance goals of Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Private Land Conservation. Trinchera Blanca Foundation’s investment will enable Keep It Colorado to support its coalition members in making progress on the implementation phase of the roadmap.
Today, GOCO’s board approved the second installment of a three-year, $3-million investment in conservation initiatives supported by Keep It Colorado. The investment will advance on-the-ground projects to protect lands through conservation efforts; demonstrate the economic return on investment of conservation; and grow land trusts’ capacity to engage more people in conservation while reflecting the multifaceted interests of Colorado’s diverse communities.
Keep It Colorado has hired Amy Beatie to usher the organization through its next era of leadership in the private lands conservation sector. She will take on her new role August 1. Amy brings a wealth of experience to Keep It Colorado, with an in-depth background in nonprofit and government leadership, professional expertise in legal matters, and a personal passion for conservation.
Keep It Colorado will award $215,000 in grants to help four Colorado land trusts complete conservation projects in partnership with landowners across five Colorado counties. The projects will permanently protect 13,375 acres of critical wetlands and wildlife habitat, family orchards and vineyards, agricultural landscapes, water rights and rare species.
Keep It Colorado, a nonprofit coalition of conservation organizations, announces the publication of Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Private Land Conservation. The roadmap sets goals to double the number of acres of land protected through conservation, double the engagement of Coloradans in conservation efforts and programs, and double the resources needed to support conservation work over the next decade.
The year 2022 has been a good one for conserving Colorado’s natural resources. With financial assistance from Keep It Colorado, six land trusts helped landowners conserve about 4,725 acres of land spanning 10 counties. That is equivalent to 3,579 American football fields, nine Grand Lakes or 1.8% of Rocky Mountain National Park. Protection efforts also included acreage along 13 miles of stream.
Keep It Colorado will award $197,000 in grants to help three Colorado land trusts complete conservation projects. Their activities with landowners who’ve chosen to conserve their land in perpetuity will protect 8,512 acres of land that would otherwise be at imminent risk of being sold, subdivided or converted to other uses.
Keep It Colorado has created two resources for landowners considering voluntarily conserving their property and for landowners who purchased land with a conservation easement already on it. These resources are designed to cover the basic background that a landowner with a conservation easement (or considering one) would need to know - including the benefits and requirements.
Keep It Colorado has launched two initiatives through its new Emerging Conservation Opportunities (ECO) Program. The Transaction Cost Assistance Program and the Alternative Valuation Tool pilot will benefit landowners interested in using conservation easements to voluntarily conserve land. Landowners will benefit from cost assistance and more choices for valuing conservation easements.
After a competitive nomination process, a selection panel has named five Conservation Heroes, and will honor them for their outstanding contributions to conservation in Colorado! The panel enjoyed reviewing the nominations and hearing about the passion, energy and expertise of many across Colorado who are making a significant difference to advance the pace and scale of conservation.
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